Fraudulent Absentee Ballot Scheme Busted - Top Election Official Behind It All

Kimberly Zapata, an official from the Wisconsin Election Commission, grew tired of Republican assertions regarding the ease of voter fraud.

In an act meant to silence such claims, she illegally dispatched three ballots to a Republican state representative, a move that led to her conviction for election fraud on Wednesday, despite her intentions.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that after approximately five hours of deliberation, the jury convicted 47-year-old Zapata, the former Deputy Director of the Milwaukee Election Commission, of one felony count of misconduct in public office and three misdemeanor counts related to making false statements to secure absentee ballots.

Dismissed just before the 2022 midterm elections, Zapata had been a seven-year employee of the commission.

Her termination followed revelations that she sent military ballots to GOP State Rep. Janel Brandtjen's residence, a scheme to which she confessed, prompting Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson to denounce her actions as a significant breach of trust.

During her trial, Zapata defended her actions as an attempt to highlight real vulnerabilities within Wisconsin's voting system, rather than endorsing unfounded election fraud theories.

She sent the ballots to Brandtjen, anticipating they would not be cast but instead prompt reconsideration of baseless fraud allegations.

Zapata admitted to a lack of foresight and denied any manipulative intentions, claiming her actions were within her official duties aimed at exposing true system vulnerabilities.

However, her actions did not prompt the expected scrutiny but rather led to the ballots being issued and subsequently reported by Brandtjen to the police.

Prosecutors criticized Zapata's approach, arguing legitimate methods existed to address her concerns without resorting to illegal activity.

Her case underscores a concerning ease with which voter fraud can be executed, highlighting significant system vulnerabilities.

While Zapata's actions did not result in illegal votes being cast, they exposed potential for abuse, challenging assertions of election security and integrity, and raising questions about the ease of exploiting the voting system.